The Basilian priest was dying of cancer. In those moments, he paused to reflect, to savour his penned thoughts and choose which ones would survive him in a book, a collection of poems and paintings many people didn’t even know the diligent Father had time to create.

Four months before his death, Rocheleau assured him there was time for a book even though neither of the longtime friends could know for sure.

“You can’t describe … it was as if you had a child and then they present it to you,” Rocheleau said Monday of the day a thrilled Father Quinn held the completed book in his hands.

That was three weeks before he died on March 28 at age 86.

It was only a few days into his hospital palliative care, and as his friends visited him, that he could show them his art: 23 photographs of his paintings matched with 19 of his poems.

Sister Janine Rocheleau shows two of the pages in a book of Father Joe Quinn’s paintings and poems on May 6, 2019.Dax Melmer /
Windsor Star

“It was just such a blessing, such a gift to see him,” Rocheleau said. “Not everybody knew he did all these things, art and poetry. He was so busy helping people and being involved in different causes and stuff, they didn’t know.”

The Basilian priest and former University of Windsor English professor was from Boston, Mass., but lived in Windsor most of his life. He originally joined the Franciscan order but moved into a Basilian order that focuses on teaching, Rocheleau said.

Many knew him as the spiritual advisor for the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, a humble man and mentor who served Christ and the poor with love. Other’s knew him through his Chelsea House retreat ministry from 1986 to 1996 or from workshops, including Marriage Encounter, Centering Prayer and Project Rachel retreats for women who have had abortions.

We’ll never get another one like him

To some, he was known as “the dancing priest” who showed young people how to step to the oldies at St. Vincent de Paul banquets. Others knew of his love of opera.

Rocheleau, 73, is a Sister of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary and co-director of Marie Rose Place, a west-end Windsor retreat centre she started with Father Quinn. She’d known him about 40 years and cared for him until he had to go to the hospital.

His paintings decorate almost every room of Marie Rose Place. Seascapes. Trees in all seasons. A path to draw the viewer into the landscape. He worked in acrylics with a palette knife because, as his painter friends knew, he didn’t like to wash brushes.

“He’s one of a kind. We’ll never get another one like him,” Rocheleau said.

At his packed funeral, Anne Shore, retired director of the theology department at Assumption University, called Father Quinn compassionate, kind, respectful, caring, generous and thoughtful. “He really believed in the dignity of the human person. When he was with you, he was with you — totally present.”

He had cancer since 2003 but last summer the cancer moved to his bones, Rocheleau said.

Father Quinn had always wanted to write a book. She insisted he had to do something with the stack of poems they found while preparing for his funeral. The idea to match some of his paintings with his favourite poems was born.

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Rocheleau didn’t expect so many of his friends would want a copy of his retrospective of art and poetry and is working with the Basilian priests to print more. For more information email marierose@mnsi.net.

“He was very excited about going to God,” Rocheleau said. “I would say his life didn’t end. His life completed what he had to do here.”